St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) - Pedro Alvarez hit a grand slam in the first
inning, Jeff Karstens gave up two runs in seven strong frames and the
Pittsburgh Pirates took down the St. Louis Cardinals, 7-3, in the middle
installment of a three-game series.

Karstens (1-2) gave up four hits while striking out seven and walking two for
the Pirates, who have won four in a row. Drew Sutton, Neil Walker and Clint
Barmes each had an RBI.

Pittsburgh center fielder Andrew McCutchen left the game in the bottom of the
seventh due to soreness in his left wrist. He sustained the injury while
sliding for a fly ball in the bottom of the third.

"Sometimes it may not go the way you want it to go, you may get injured,"
McCutchen said. "But it's part of the game."

Lance Lynn (10-4) allowed six runs on seven hits over five innings to take the
loss for the Cardinals, who have dropped three straight. Carlos Beltran, Jon
Jay and Matt Holliday each knocked in a run.

Alvarez's grand slam in the first proved to be the difference. With two outs,
McCutchen and Garrett Jones singled and Neil Walker walked to load the bases.
Alvarez stepped to the plate and smacked Lynn's offering over the wall in
right.

"I didn't get it done in the first inning and it cost us the whole game," Lynn
said.

The Cardinals managed to get two runs back in the third. Tony Cruz led off
with a double off the wall in center and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt.
After Skip Schumaker walked, Cruz scored when Jay grounded into a fielder's
choice. Jay stole second and raced home on Holliday's single to make it 4-2.

Pittsburgh scored a pair of runs in the fifth to make it a four-run game
again. Jose Tabata doubled and Jones walked prior to Walker's RBI double down
the left-field line. Alvarez was intentionally walked to load the bases with
one out. Barmes plated a run when he grounded into a fielder's choice.

Beltran's RBI double in the eighth cut the gap to 6-3, but Sutton drove in a
run in the ninth.

Jared Hughes recorded the final four outs of the game for the Pirates to pick
up his first career save.

Game Notes

Karstens improved to 2-2 in eight career games (seven starts) against the
Cardinals...Lynn fell to 2-1 in four career games (three starts) against the
Pirates...Pittsburgh improved to 4-2 on a seven-game road trip...The Cardinals
recalled pitcher Maikel Cleto and purchased the contract of pitcher Barret
Browning from Triple-A Memphis. Browning made his MLB debut Saturday with two
scoreless innings of relief, while Cleto pitched a spotless eighth. In
addition, Pittsburgh optioned pitchers Eduardo Sanchez and Sam Freeman to
Memphis and transferred pitcher Kyle McClellan to the 60-day disabled
list...Beltran has set a Cardinals season-best by recording an RBI in eight
consecutive games.